Coin-distributing apparatus.



H. A. SMITH. com DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION TILED APB-20. 1909.

Patented Sept 24,1912.

H, SMITH. GOIN DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION riLBD APR. 20, 1909.

Patented sept.24,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

STATES rerun curios.

HENRY ennxnnnnn SMITH, or Artur-re, GEORGIA, AssIenoii, BY Dinner; AnnMnsmz ASSIGNMENTS, or sun-recurs T0 cnnnrns .cmrrom) unsen, or m ssPOINT, GEORGIA, AND ONE-SIXTH; TO A. I. v. WILsotu, or ATLANTA, chosen,

- COIN-DISTRIBUTING ABEARATUS. I

nosogsoi.

Specification of Letters'fatent.

Application filed April 20, 1909. I Serial N 0. 491,094.

To all whom it may comm:

Be it known that I, HEHRY r-XLE'XANiDER S;M IT'H. a citizen of theUnited States, -residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and Stateof'Georgin, have invented newsnd useful Improvements in Coin-Dietrihuting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in coin distributingvapparatlusdesigned par- 3 ticulnrly for use in connection :with telephone paystations or the like, and is specifically directed to s mechanismwhereby the various essential coins deliveredto the 'sppnretus through nsingle slot are autonmtlcally del vered to a proper coin chute,

cost of a call will notify the celier to deposit s coinof aoertain'denomination'and will determine the proper deposit of such acoin by thesound incident to the contact 10% the coin in its travel through thechute with a distinctive sounding .alarm. As heretofore constructed.these devices have required the formation of distinctive coin chutes,one for each particular coin and there has been no way to guard againstthe insertion of a counterfeit coin or marker resembling the proper coinin size and shape.

it is, therefore, the main object of the presentinv'ention to constructa coin delivto the proper coin b of proper size and-We ght, an will reect and return to he caller ali some or markers cry apparatus in whichautomatic 'selective mechanism is emplo ed which WLll deliver chute onlyeffect 001118 other than those'of a perfect character.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means whereby thecoin slot in the'well of the casing is closed a ainst. the furtherintroduction of a coin uring the operation 'ofthe apparatus.

q The invention will he described. in the ol lowing specification,reference being had 50 particularly to the accompanying drawings,

in which: I.

Figure 1 1s a. view 111 elevation, partly n 4 apparatus with the 'coin,as a dime.

Wided with any desiredform ofloclc; As illustrated-the upper portion, ofthe'c'ase is curing means being usedyto motion, illustrating theimproved delivery operative osition. Fig. 2-"'is a' view .in'-*s i partsnorm all or in;

tion, party in elevation, ofthe snme,'with the parts inoperativepositions; Fig; Bis} a front elevation of the pparatus, the for wordwell of. the casing heing'frelhovedfi-f Flg. 4 is a section on lined-iof 3.

saw

Fig. 5 is an elevation ofthe coin 'rece1ver,-

ShoWin the vparts in the positions occupied when e livering thesmallest-and lightest Fig.' 6xis "zi 'sixnilar view? with the parts in'position'lor delivering the next lightest com, asa nickel; Fig. 7.

is :1 Similar view with the parts in theposition occupied whendelivering' theheaviest coin, .2 5 a quarter. Fig. 8 is a bottom plan"of the recelver, showing thepreferr edsec tlona-l *fOIIIlfiElOIlthereof. Fig; 9 is a' spectlve view of the lockingjber.

I 70 P r- Q Referring particularly to theeccompsny-"l mg drawings, myimprovement is shownasf' applied to a telephone pay station case 1,

and it is tobe understood that this fcasgfj aside from the detailsofconstructionhero ina-fter noted, is to indicate anydesired form orsize of c2 1se,.es. such; forms m: teriall part of thepi'esent-Iipventioni As shown the case is divid'etlg byizi' transverse".vpartition 2 near the bottom-thereoftofforin- 1 an upper or deliverychamber Sande lower;'

.or coin chamber 4;, the. letterjheing'oi di- Inirily designed toreceive s coin'rc'ceiving" receptacle and being closed hy'a: door 5 prmade .111 two so arableljsecti'ons Jone of lower portion, the othersection, including the side walls and frontwellof the case and beingadapted to slidahly engage flanges 6 and 7 formed on the edges ,of theoertition and to]: 1 late end ,toQbe'arl 1 2 P as,

against flanges 8 projecting f rorn the hack phite when in appliedyposition, suitable'lsein case-forming position.

The construction described s, imply, n1]

convenient means for providingi -ac cess: to:

the coin delivery n1ecl1a nisn1',-it"being un-w ion contemplates the useof: any style or form of case.

to facilitate the insertion of coins and in the'construction shown thisguard strip is carried on-a separate section securedto the under surfaceof the top wall of the case. Pivotally 'mounted in ears 11, dependingfrom the top wall of the case in advance of the slot 9, is a trap 12comprising a strip of metal having its upper. edge bent rearwardly, asat 13, so that when the trap is in a certain position said edge 13 willbear against the guard strip 10 and close the slot 9 against theintroduction of a coin. The trap is provided with an arm 14:, preferablyof wire, which projects rearwardly and downwardly from the trap and thenupwardly to form a. loop 15, for a purpose which willlpresently appear.

Secured" to and rising from the partition 2 in the case are coin chutes16, 17 and 18,

three being shown in the present instance, it

being understood, however, that the number of coin chutes will dependupon the number of coins for which the device is adapted. The coinchutes are practically of identical construction and communicate withthe coin chamber t through the medium of slotted openings 19 in thepartition, so that any coin delivered to said chutes will be in turndelivered to the coin chamber or to any ileireptacle placedtherein. Thecoin chutes are of unequal heights, that nearest the forward wall of thecase being of the greatest height while that nearest the rear wall is ofleast height, the particular height of the coin chutes having a definiterelation to the working out the apparatus, as will presently appear. Therear wall of each coin chute is provided with a guard finger 20,arranged centrally of said wall and projecting above the upper edgethereof, said fingers being very narrow as compared with thenormal widthof thechute, as particularly apparent from Fig. 3 of the drawings. Acoin trough 21 is arranged about the coin chutes, said trough comprisinga bottom plate 22 through which the respective chutes pass, said plate lnclining d wnwardly toward the rear of "the case and laterally towardone side thereof, being adjacent said latter side of the case providedwith a guard flange 23, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The coin trough hasits forward edge "arranged in advance of the forward coin chute 16, andits rear edge in rear of the final coin chute18, the rear edge of thetrough being formed to provide a delivery chute 21 formed to direct thecoins falling into the coin trough toward one side of the casing, themouth 0 the: delivery;

chute opening through an appropriately formed opening in said sidewall.a v

Each of the coin chutes 16 17, and 18 are provided with distinctivealarms, as 25, 5 36,

and 27, each secured immediately adjacent its respective chute, andsaild chutes are so tormed that the coin in. its passage there throughwill engage and sound the'particu lar alarm, whereby the operator isadvised of the passage of a a j-particular chute.

iAs so far described the apparatus com prises the fixed parts of theapparatus while preferring the specific embodiment p'articuljxar cointhrough requirements within the terms, of the appended claims.

The selective coin receiver islia single idevice designed to receive theco nsfrom the.

coin slot 9 and to autoiiiat-ically gselect,gthea,1

proper coin chute to which saidcoimiinac} V cordance with its value,istobe deli' fered and to reject and prevent the delivery total coinchute of any inarker or COIIlIlOt exactly in accordance with theparticular requ re ments for which the apparatus is designed.

The coin receiver comprises duplicate rods 28, formed adjacent theirrelatively rear er'ids with opposed knife edge trunnions :29 dcj loosigned to be mounted in bearings projecting tr m standards 30 dependingfrom the upper wall of the case. standards and bearings carried therebyare so arranged that the rods 28 project toward the forward wallof thecase in a relatively The, respective r.

converging relation,that is at the forward; or s free ends the rods arepract cally in contactg.

while at their rear ends they are spaced the maximum distance apart.QEach of the rods appropriate counterweightfll, which weights aredesigned to slightly over-balance the normal weights of the rods and thecoin receiver proper, so that under normal condiiv tions the rods arealways in theiruppermost or coin receiving positions. Each rod cai ries'at its forward end a portion of the coin receiver, or more properlyspeaking each rod carries one-half of said receiver. The receiver, whichis, of course, in duplicate sections, asone-half is c'arried'by'each'rod, comprises an approximately rectangular holder 32 dividedlongitudinally into duplis cate sections 33 and 3st. The holder as anentirety has its side walls extended for a' portion of its length inparallel relation, as at and the maximum width at this point is of asize to just receive a coin corresponding to a perfect coin 0tthe'largest size for 1 are provided ad acent their pivots with an 1 I ina plane which is practically concentric to be introduced is a' dime,which is the lightwill' be clear that as said'arms move. down,

he graduall se arated to virtuanv increase a .Y a

though immediately succeeding the initial which the apparatus isadapted. Below the parallel sections the sidewalls of the holder and theextent or the converging portion of the side} walls 36 is such thatat-fthe narrowest point of the holder -wzh'en the sections 333e thereofare inj-contact, as when the parts are-in normal position is such thatthe smallest coin for which the machine is designed will not passthrough the holder. x i

As has been previously stated the arms 28 of'the receivingmechanism aremounted in angulanrelat -ion with the effect that assai'd arms are,moved downward the relatively forward ends thereof will graduallyrecede from each other} This will be clear from an inspection of Fig, 4of the drawings, and it ward and, therefore cause the forward endsthereof to recede from eachother, the side wallsiot the holder will, byvirtue of such moveh'ient of the forward endsot the arms,

the transverse dimension of the holder. It is by virtue of this movementthat the apparat sis designed for the automatic selection-of tlie-propercoin chute for the delivery theretoohthe coin carried in theholder, as will preseiitlyappear.

The receiving or mouth endsof the chutes l6, l7 and 18 are arrangedsdthat in the movement of the receiving vapparatus the holder will alinesuccessively with the chutes with its ower edge immediately above the aofsaid chutes. In other words pper'edge of the chutes are arranged withthe path of movement of the lower end of the holder, as plainly showninFigs. l and 2.

In the disposition of the receiving apparatus in normal position, whichis the position occupied under the influence of the weights 31, one ofthe arms 28 engages the loop 15 of the arm l land so tilts the trap 12as to open theslot- 9, so that .as long as the receiving apparatus is inposition the slotis open for the introduct on of coins.

movement of the receiving .device the slot is automatically closed toprevent introduction tion of the device under the influence of the firstcoin.-

In use, assuming the parts constructed and arranged as described, theoperation of the improved -coin delivery and selective mechanis nlis asfollows: If for instance the coin est and smallest coin to be usedg'aperfect coin of such type is introduced into "the m'ler holder is soconstructed that the s will he held thereinhetween the con: I

vergent portions i=6 ot the side walls as long as the sections 83 andi lof the holder are increment, or mother words as long as the receiving dice isin normal position; v The weight of 7 7E3- coin is sutiicient tocause the forward ends of the receiving dev ce'to move downward, whichmovement as beforestated tends to gradually separatethe sections of" theholder, when the holder sections. have been sufficiently separated topermit the passage of the dime therethrough, said holderwillbe alinedwith the ,coin chute 16 thereby; delivering the coin directly to saidchuteand v q 15 Clhe parts are so related that a sounding the audiblealarm'25; The'guard),

the chute holder is a nickel it willzbe obvious finger 2.0 provides aguiding cooperation that the separation of the holder sections f when inalinenient with the. chute -16 .ivill not be sutiicient to permit thepassage of the nickel through the holder; and that said sections willnot separate to mit such passage until the holder'is in alinev an extentto per-.

ment with the chute 17. The same operation applies when the coin is aquarter, the se l ation' of the holder sections in this instance beingnot sutlicient to permit the passage of the coin therethrough until saidholder is in aliiiement;

with the chute 18. in other words theholder will be automatically openedto permit thelpassage therethro'ugh of a coinionly when theholder hasreached a position in aline unent with the chute designed toreceive-that coin, thus causing an automatic selection of theproncrchute for the'eoin. Uponthedclivery of the coin from the holder the ears31' operate to return the receiving device to normal position forfurther operation.

inserted in the holder In the event the coin; deposited is of lessweight and size than a perfect coin it is ohwill not be timedinexactaceordance with no a vious that the pasliage'through the holder 1the arrangement of the chutesiso that said coin will hedelivered'through the holder in a position in advance or lit-rear of that chute 11 i a oesignc -io1 a coin most nearly approximatmg the weight and sizeotthe coin carried.

In delivery from the holder it). any position other than in alinementwith the chutes per 21 and from said trough to be eturned tomits thecoin to drop into tlie coiii trough the operator through the delivervrhute 24-. j

. In Fig. 8 I have illustrated what i prefer as the sectional tormatlonof the hplder in which instance the side walls are ofiin ular formation,as at 3S.- By this meanslitwill be obvious that if the coin ormarkeniutrm duced is-not of the exactly proper thulgness, it will havegreater freedom of movement in the holderthan a coin of. proper.thiclihess' and hence will be delivered to the .coin troughnotwithstanding the fact that it may be of an exactly proper diameterand weight.

From the construction described it willbe for the automatic selection otpertect coins and forthe delivery of such perfect coins to their properchutes only, and while the em bodimentbfdetails herein describedpreferred it is to beundcrstood that I mus-rider as within the spirit ofthe present it". mntion tributing mechanism in the event the coinchamber 4' is unoccupied by the'proper coin receiving receptacle. F orthe purposes of this look the receptacle is provided with a projectiondesigned to pass through an' opening-37 formed in an auxiliary chamber38 in the chamber l. The locking rod 39 is mounted for rotation withinthe case 1 adjacent the rear wall thereof, said rod being provided nearits upper end with a finger 40 designed to overlie a'portion of one ofthe arms 28, lnd near its lower end Within the chamber 38 with an arm llalining with the opening 37.. A spring. 42 isarranged on tlie rod'andoperative to hold the arm normally adjacent the opening 37, in whichposition the finger 4:0 is so disposed as to prevent movemenmof the.arm. Therefore until the coin drawer is in place the chins cannotbedeposited, as the "apparatus is held inoperative. It is to be understoodthat the device will reject coins which are so worn as to becomeunsuitable for usi lal commercial purposes.

Having thus ,described tl e invention -,w hat is claimed as new, is p'.L A receptacle arranged" for coin reception, a plurality of chutesarranged in t e receptacleto receive coins of different values, amovable sectional coin holder to receive the coins delivered to thereceptacle,

and means whereby the sections of said holder are automaticallyoperatedto permit the vpassage therethrough of the specific coincorresponding with the particular chute when said holder is in positionto deliver said coin to said chute] Areceptacle arranged for coinreception, a plurality of difl'erent coin chutes arranged 'within" thereceptacle, a sectional coin holder operated by the com. and adapted tocooperate with each chute in sucsession. and means whereby the sectionsof said holder are operated topermit the passage tliereth 'iugh of aparticular coin when the holder inposition to deliver said coin to thechute arranged tluzrcfor,

3. A receptacle arranged for corn reception, a. plurality of dill'cre'ntcoin chutes saftherein, ascctional coin holder to receive obvious thatthe device described provides chute adapted for the reception of suchcoins.

'4. Areceptacle adapted to receive coins of different values, anindependent chute for each respective coin value, and a coin holder toreceive all the coins delivered to the receptacle and movable tocooperate with the successive chutes, said holder being formed with acoin passage normally arranged to prevent the travel of coinsthcrethrough, and means whereby said passage is automatically varied insize to permit the passage therethrough of a particular coin when theholder is in inoperative relation with the chute designed to receivr heparticular coin.

5. A receptacle adapted to receive coins of 'ditlierent values, anindependent chute for each respective coin,- a holder to receive all thecoins delivered to the receptacle, said holder being capable of movementfor cooperation with the respective chutes in successiomand meanswhereby the holder upon the reception of the coin will move to aposition above the chute adapted for the reception of said coin anddeliver said coir, thereto, the delivery of the coin permitting thereturn of the chute to normal position and wholly beyond the position tocoiiperate with any chute.

6. A coin receptacle including three coin chutes for the reception ofrespectively different coins, a coin holder normally arranged beyond allof said chutes and adapted for travel under the influence of a. coin tocotiperate with the respective chutes in succession, and means wherebysaid holder will deliver a particular coin inserted therein to the chuteadapted for said coin, the delivery of the coin serving to limit theoperative movement of the holder and permittingthe same to return tonormal position.

7. A coin receiver for coinoperated appatus comprising a sectional coinholder adapted for movement, and means for gradually and increasinglyseparating the holder sections in the movement of the latter from normalposition. v p

8. A coin receiver for coin operated apparatus comprising a sectionalholder to rcceivethc coins, said holder being arranged to support whenin normal position the smallest coin for which the apparatusis adapted,and means for gradually and 1ncreasingly separatingthe holder sectionsin the movement of said holder from normal position, whereby coins ofdifferent values will be discharged from the holder at separated pointsin its path of movement.

9. .A coin receiver for coin operated apparatus comprising a sectionalco"n holder of hollow construction, and an arm support-- ing eachsection of the holder, said arms being arranged in relatively divergentplanes. f

10. A coin receiver for coin operated apparatus co-mprising a sectionalcoin holder of hollow construction, and an arm. supportmg each sectionof the holder, meansfor 12. A coin operated apparatus including areceptacle formed with a coin receiving slot, a series of coinchutesarranged within the receptacle. and respectively adapted for thereception of coins of different value, and a, single means normallydisposed beyond cooperation with any chute operating between the slotand all of said chutes and adapted todeliver the coinin'serted throughthe slot to the particular chute designed forthe reception of such coin,slot closing means, and means operating between the slot closing meansand-single means to maintain the closing means in inoperative positionwhen the single means is in normal-position.

13. A sectional coin distributor including a coin holder arranged formovement in a determinate path, said holder being adapted to receivecoins of difierent values to oper-' ate .the holder sections todistribute, a coin of a particular value 'at a certain determinate pointonly in its path of movement.

'14. A coin distributer including a sectional coin holder normallyadapted to receive and support coins of any value, and

means for moving the sections of the holder res'pect-irmco'ins atdifferent points in' the movement of the holder. p

15. A coin distributor. including a sectional holder, and means foroperating the holder to space thesections thereof different distancesapart at determinate points in the Iriovement'of the holder, whereby topermit the discharge from the holder of different coi .s at suchpoints.-

16. A coin distributer including a coin holder made'up of sections toreceive the coins between them, 'said holder being arranged for movementand adapted at de terminate points in such movementto permit' thedischarge therefrom of coins of dif-. ferent values. a

'17. A coin holder comprising separated sections adapted forsimultaneous movement under the influence of a coin, the distancebetween the sections varying at determinate points in such movement.

18.- A coin holder comprising duplicate sections, andmeans for inducinga gradually divergent movement of the sections under the influence of'acoin deposited therein.

19. A coin holder adapted for movement,

to permit the passage ther'ethrough of the said holder comprising aplurality of sec:

tions, and means for mounting the sections to inducesimultaneousmovement of the sections in'twodistinct directions duringmove-' ment-of'the holder. j

20. A coin holder adapted for movement and made up of a pluralityof'sections, and

means to operate-one section of tlie'holder in a direction awayfrom'theotherso as to space the sections'difierent distances apart atdeterminate points inthe movement of the holder- 21. A coin holderadapted for travel in a determinate patln'said holder-being-forme'd witha coin passage therethrough and means for varying the size of saidpassage at determinate-points in the travel of the holder.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signa-- ture in presenceof twowitnesses.

HENRY ALEXANDER SMITH.

' 'Witnesses:

P. HUNT R, C C. Hanson.

